Jul 22, 2009 05:35 AM
2283 Views
(Updated Jul 22, 2009 05:42 AM)
As Potter mania sweeps the world, it is time once again for that boy – man (one who is too old to be called a boy but is still typecast into boyish roles) wizard to show us how it’s done! Move over the scar and the sacrifice (by his parents), The Chosen One is here.
I was literally hiding under my bed to save myself from being swept away by this craze because I had given up hope on Potter after his second outing (Chamber of Secrets). Somehow, I was reluctantly dragged by my ever so fanatic friends to join millions to see yet another outing if not for Harry Potter, then for so called other ‘attractions’ (Thank You, Emma Watson a.k.a. Hermione Granger).
Director:David Yates; Running time: 2hrs 33 minutes; based on J.K. rowling's Half Blood Prince
Plot:
Narrating this has got to be a joke! The film is based on the 6th book by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. However, the director has taken some ‘cinematic liberties’ in his adaptation. In the opening scenes, we see the Death Eaters routing the ‘muggle’ (non magical) world as there is a cry for TheChosenOne. Meanwhile, The Chosen One (which is Harry) is sitting in a café trying to get himself a date with the pretty waitress when alas! The Big Daddy a.k.a. Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon) arrives and interrupts his ‘leisure time’ by taking him to get Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), a new addition to the faculty at Hogwarts. Later, Harry meets Ginny (future girlfriend and wife) at the Weasley’s home and they have a moment of ‘awkwardness’ (where both literally want to kiss each other but stand like babbling idiots) thus foreshadowing that Harry and Ginny are a pair. Ginny, at this point is going out with Dean Thomas. Also, the trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) notice Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and Harry suspects that he has become a Death Eater.
Meanwhile, Snape has given an ‘unbreakable vow’ to Narcissa Malfoy (Draco’s mother) to help Draco in whatever task the Dark Lord has assigned him. At the school, Dumbledore asks Harry to befriend Slughorn in order to retrieve an important memory regarding You Know Who (sorry, Voldemort) and Harry finds a book of Advanced Potion Making which is the property of The Half Blood Princeto aid him become a potions genius (Slughorn is Potions teacher now and Snape has taken Defence Against The Dark Arts). In doing so, he wins a flask of Felix Felicis or liquid luck as it’s commonly known. Harry uses this same potion (luck) to retrieve the memory from Slughorn which shows that Voldemort (when he was Tom Riddle) at Hogwarts had decided to split his soul 7 times (you can split your soul by committing murder) and hid it in objects one of which was the diary of Riddle found in Chamber of Secrets. This is called a ‘horcrux’. So, Dumbledore along with Harry goes on a quest to destroy all other horcruxes. Meanwhile, Lavender Brown (JessicaCave) is going ga – ga over Ron (Rupert Grint) much to the annoyance of Hermione (Emma Watson). Draco, on the other hand has secured a passage for the Death Eaters to enter Hogwarts leading up to the climax where Snape kills Dumbledore.
Teenage bliss:
This movie should be remembered as the one which brought back the ‘old flavour’ of Harry Potter. It’s not all dark and gloomy with everything going bad. There is a natural progression in the characters as they face their new big challenge: teenage attraction. So while Harry is a babbling idiot in front of Ginny, Ron doesn’t mind the attention he is getting from Lavender Brown. The director here has altered the situation a little bit, where Hermione is clearly portrayed as being head over heels for Ron and she can’t bear it when he is with Lavender. There is a scene where Harry and Hermione mutually disclose their love for Ginny and Ron respectively and Hermione asks “How does it feel when you see someone you love with another person” To this Harry responds, “It feels like this” and they both shed tears over each others shoulder. Watch out for the scene where Ron breaks up with Lavender and unintentionally declares his feelings for Hermione. The Harry and Ginny build up is good but don’t get your hopes up. This is the movie where the trio battles their inner demons rather than outer ones and yes, which does leave room for a lot of humour. This movie was actually funny!
Cast:
Rupert Grint as Ron was the standout for me. Yes, he has always played the ‘idiot’ but this is something special. In this movie, the focus is on Dumbledore, and Michael Gambon essays the character with such panache that you feel that if Hogwarts was real, he would indeed be Dumbledore. Alan Rickman as Snape is impressive (with his dry humour intended to demean Harry) but the surprise package is Jim Broadbent (who plays Slughorn). He brings a new character and makes it his own. He really is someone you will remember the movie by. Emma Watson is confined to the ‘do I love him or do I just like him’ syndrome but she carries out her role with consummate ease. Overall, all the actors essayed their characters really well which makes this movie carve its own niche separate from the book.
Yes, the director alters the plot and omits some parts from the book but he doesn’t deviate from the book. The most important addition is the foreshadowing of how the characters (Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione) feel about each other and no, there is no constant bickering which is one of the reasons why this film succeeds. Ron packs quite a punch with his ‘goofy’ avatar and Harry reveals his funny side as well. The movie is fast paced but nothing really happens until the last 40 minutes of the film. The build up lasts close to two hours culminating into the climax. No, the film is not boring, but it doesn’t go anywhere. That’s probably its only negative.
Overall, Harry’s latest outing is once more able to transport you to the world which we are so familiar with. It reignites hope in those who had lost faith after previous debacles. The climax is probably the saddest part in the whole series but the film keeps the light heartedness throughout. Get bewitched once more by this beautiful concoction of teenage bliss…
